Umbo responded more to her tone than her words; her tone said that everything was fine, and Umbo would be delighted. “Ask and we’ll see,” he said.

“I’m concerned about the baby you brought from the future. The little boy called Square.”

Umbo was puzzled. “How do you know about him?”

“Your friend Loaf passed him into our care a few weeks ago,” Auntie Wind answered. “I assumed you knew.”

“Loaf tells me only what he thinks I need to know.”

“Well, no matter what he thinks, I think you need to know, because as the timeshaper you are the one who saved the boy’s life and brought him into our time.”

“I do care what happens to him,” said Umbo.

“Loaf told us that the boy’s mother does not regard him as her own,” said Auntie Wind. “I understand this, in that she has no memory of carrying him in her womb. Though I do not understand why she cannot take him into her heart as any woman would take an orphan in need of care.”

“Leaky can’t make herself feel what doesn’t come to her naturally.” Or keep herself from feeling what does come; Umbo had too many painful memories of trying to get her to curb her emotions long enough to simply hear him out.

“That is unfortunate in a full-grown person,” said Auntie Wind. “Our difficulty is that our lives are spent in the sea, but caring for Square means that we must keep one nursing mother or another on land for extended periods. Since Square’s mother won’t have him, I ask consent to introduce him to a mantle and take him into the sea with us. It’s a good life.”

“I don’t think Loaf would want that,” said Umbo, “and yet I think it’s hard to ask Larfolders to stay on land. Let me talk to him.”

“I was hoping for a quick answer,” said Auntie Wind. “I’m facing a bit of a rebellion, I’m afraid—there’s already so much resentment over the mice that you brought in to possess our land, and some are saying now, Let the baby drink mousemilk, and leave us out of it.”

Umbo had heard nothing about resentment of the mice. As far as he knew, the Larfolders hadn’t even noticed them.

“Underwater,” said Auntie Wind, “it would be an easy matter to care for him. Even on land, with a mantle he wouldn’t need diapering.”

“The mantle makes it so you don’t have to . . .” Umbo was uncomfortable referring to defecation.

“No, but the mantle reaches down and cleans the baby, then washes itself. It’s very sanitary. Our mantles have had thousands of years to become habituated to our needs.”

Umbo sighed. “I understand your urgency. But remember what I can do. I’ll go ask Loaf, but I’ll return to you within an hour from now.”